Alexander Hamilton (film)

Alexander Hamilton
Directed by	John G. Adolfi
Written by	Julien Josephson Maude T. Howell
Based on	Hamilton by George Arliss Mary Hamlin
Starring	George Arliss Doris Kenyon Dudley Digges June Collyer
Cinematography	James Van Trees
Edited by	Owen Marks
Music by	David Memes
Production company	Warner Bros.
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date	September 12, 1931 (1931-09-12)
Running time	70 minutes
Country	United States
Languages	English French
Budget	$345,000
Box office	$586,000

Alexander Hamilton is a 1931 American pre-Code biographical film about Alexander Hamilton, produced and distributed by Warner Bros. and based on the 1917 play Hamilton by George Arliss and Mary Hamlin. It was directed by John G. Adolfi and stars Arliss in the title role. It follows the attempts of Hamilton to establish a new financial structure for the United States following the Confederation Period and the establishment of a new Constitution in 1787. It is preserved at the Library of Congress.

Plot

Alexander Hamilton attempts to pass the Assumption Bill, which required the federal government to assume the debts incurred by the 13 rebel colonies during the American Revolutionary War and his agreement to a compromise passage of the Residence Bill, which established the national capital.

Cast

• George Arliss as Alexander Hamilton
• Doris Kenyon as Mrs. Betsey Hamilton
• Dudley Digges as Senator Timothy Roberts
• June Collyer as Mrs. Maria Reynolds
• Montagu Love as Thomas Jefferson
• Ralf Harolde as James Reynolds
• Lionel Belmore as General Philip Schuyler
• Alan Mowbray as George Washington
• John T. Murray as Count Talleyrand
• Morgan Wallace as James Monroe
• John Larkin as Zekial
• Charles Middleton as Townsman (uncredited)

Production

At the time of the events depicted, Hamilton was in his 30s (in the opening sequence he is still in his 20s). He is portrayed by George Arliss, then in his 60s. For the roles of Jefferson and Monroe, Arliss cast two character actors who had built reputations for playing villainous parts. Dudley Digges plays the villainous and entirely fictitious character Senator Roberts.

Box office

According to Warner Bros., the film earned $453,000 in the U.S. and $133,000 in other markets.

Bibliography

• Robert M. Fells, George Arliss: The Man Who Played God (Scarecrow Press, 2004)

See also

• List of films about the American Revolution
• List of television series and miniseries about the American Revolution

External links

• Alexander Hamilton at IMDb
• Alexander Hamilton at the TCM Movie Database
• Alexander Hamilton at AllMovie
• Alexander Hamilton at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films1893-1993